IRT Jerome Avenue Line (mtamaster edition)
The IRT Jerome Avenue Line, also unofficially known as IRT Woodlawn Line, is an A Division New York City Subway line mostly along Jerome Avenue in the Bronx. It was opened on June 2, 1917 as a shuttle service between Kingsbridge Road and 149th Street. This was in advance of through service to the IRT Lexington Avenue Line, which began on July 17, 1918. The line was extended from Kingsbridge Road to Woodlawn on April 15, 1918. In 1918, the Ninth Avenue elevated was extended from the Polo Grounds terminal, entering the Bronx via the Putnam Bridge, a now-demolished swing bridge immediately north of the Macombs Dam Bridge, to connect with the Jerome Avenue line between 161st Street and 167th Street. After the lower portion of the Ninth Avenue Line closed on June 12, 1940, a shuttle continued to operate to the Polo Grounds until after the New York Giants moved to San Francisco. The shuttle closed on August 31, 1958. Extent and service Service patterns The Jerome Avenue Line is served locally by the 4''' train at all times, except for the 138th Street – Grand Concourse station, which the '''4 serves all times except rush hours in the peak direction, and the 5 at all times except late nights. As part of a pilot program to evaluate express service on the line, from June 8, 2009 to June 26, 2009, the MTA operated four trains southbound on the express track between 7:15 AM and 8:00 AM. The trains stopped at Woodlawn, Mosholu Parkway, Burnside Avenue, and 149th Street – Grand Concourse]], then continued down the normal route. From October 26, 2009, to December 11, 2009, another pilot program to run express service ran, this time adding Bedford Park Boulevard – Lehman College as an additional stop. A fifth train had also been added and trains now run every 20 minutes from 7:00am to 8:20am. During rush hours, some northbound trains run express from 167th Street to short turn at Burnside Avenue. Route description Though named for Jerome Avenue, the southernmost portion of the line runs underground beneath the Grand Concourse. North of the 149th Street station around the vicinity of Franz Sigel Park, the line curves to the northwest and emerges from a tunnel under Gerard Avenue north of East 153rd Street, and becomes an elevated line over River Avenue just south of the intersection with East 157th Street. Just north of Yankee Stadium station, the line encounters the skeletal remains of the IRT Ninth Avenue elevated line between Gate Number 8 and the east end of the 164th Street Parking Garage, between the intersections of 162nd and 164th Streets. Almost a block after 167th Street, the line finally runs over the eponymous road when River Avenue ends at Jerome Avenue across from the intersection of West 169th Street. The line remains over Jerome Avenue for most of the rest of its journey. The north end of the Mount Eden Avenue station can be seen from the Cross Bronx Expressway. After the northwest entrance of the historic Concourse Yard and then north of 198th Street, the road briefly moves east of the line. North of Bedford Park Boulevard, Jerome Avenue returns under the line and between the intersections with East 205th Street and West 205th Street, a spur for the Jerome Yard branches off to the northwest as well. The IRT Jerome Avenue Line finally ends at Woodlawn Station, while Jerome Avenue itself continues north towards the Major Deegan Expressway.